Impact

Please note that the Science Centre exhibitions will be closed on all Mondays except school and public holidays. Lab lessons for schools will continue as per normal on closure days. We thank you for your understanding.

How do you protect a falling raw egg from cracking upon impact when it hits the ground? When NASA needs to land their million-dollar Mars Rover, they use, of all things, a nifty parachute! In this lesson, learn about the concepts of free fall, gravity, air resistance and impact. In the process of building and experimentation, aspects of engineering and material science will be incorporated. A fun lesson that will engage you to learn through play and encourage you to think out of the box!

Objectives:1. State that the acceleration of a free falling rover is constant and is approximately 10 m/s^22. Describe the motion of rover with constant weight falling with air resistance3. Explain the effects of friction (air resistance) to the motion of a falling rover4. Design a rover protection system (parachute and airbags)5. Build and test a rover protection system